What HC Dave Canales said about Tetairoa McMillan’s potential with the Carolina Panthers, ‘he’s such a…’

McMillan turning heads during Panthers offseason program

The Carolina Panthers wide receiver room over the past couple of seasons has been largely propped up by the veteran presence of Adam Thielen. He came in as the replacement target for DJ Moore, and to his credit, posted a 1,000 yard season in his first season in a Panthers jersey.

That said, he will be 35 years old before the 2025 season begins, and it’s been clear that the franchise has keyed in on building a group of receivers they can pair with Bryce Young long-term.

They’ve now selected pass catchers in the first round of the draft in back-to-back years, having taken Xavier Legette with the 32nd overall pick in the 2024 draft.

Legette was a fifth-year breakout for the South Carolina Gamecocks, posting 1,255 receiving yards and seven touchdowns out of seemingly nowhere. He had been waiting for his opportunity, and grasped it in the 2023 college football season.

Tetairoa McMillan’s story is a little different. He’s been a top prospect ever since he got to college, with 702 yards and eight touchdowns in his freshman year with the Arizona Wildcats.

He posted back-to-back 1,200+ yard seasons in both the 2023 and 2024 college football seasons, totaling 20 touchdowns in those two years combined. In the opening game of the 2024 season, he recorded 10 catches for 304 yards and four touchdowns, setting the tone for the upcoming NFL draft.

Carolina appears to be building a great class of young receivers, with fifth-round pick out of Colorado, Jimmy Horn Jr., also showcasing a lot of talent during offseason workouts.

When asked about Tet McMillan and what makes him special, Dave Canales said:

“I think one thing that stands out is that he always comes back to the ball. He’s such a friendly target, he’s six-four, he’s 220 lbs, and then when you put it out there to him, he’s always got this negative angle, back to the quarterback when the ball comes to him. That’s such a great trait for players in this league.”

Canales went on to explain that having that specific trait will give Bryce Young the confidence to throw to McMillan in tight spaces, because he’s “going to get his hands on it and attack it.”

Reporters that have attended Panthers practice have made it clear that McMillan is very clearly the WR1 of the offense, and should be expected to claim that role from the first week of the 2025 season.

That takes a lot of the pressure off of Adam Thielen, who has thrived in a 1B role multiple times already in the NFL. He shared the field with both Stefon Diggs and Justin Jefferson in Minnesota, and Panthers fans could see a similar dynamic between him and McMillan now in Carolina.

Carolina’s young, talented wide receiver room

Having the veteran presence of an ultimate professional like Adam Thielen is huge. He’s always gone about his craft in the right way and those young receivers will benefit from sharing a locker room with him in the upcoming season.

The future of the Panthers WR group looks very promising, with both first-round picks in Legette and McMillan prepped to develop as targets for Young together.

Beyond that, 2024 undrafted free agent Jalen Coker was a pleasant surprise last season, with 478 yards and two touchdowns. He and Jimmy Horn Jr. will help to fill out the depth at the position, and both can play a role in the return game, too.

It’s a talented group of young playmakers, and if McMillan can be the 1,100+ yard receiver the Panthers believe he can be, everybody else in the group will see better opportunities too.